Grits vs., Poutine, a serious discussion sought.

[Old Greenhorn]

OK, I have been hanging out here for about 4 years now and have read past and present comments and thoughts on the subject matter. Mostly I discounted it and enjoyed the banter for it's own sake. All good fun right?

But lately, as I am uneducated in both of these foods, I sought to bring my learning up to a reasonable and acceptable level. I have had grits in those chain restaurants down south and they were 'ok', but not something special (to me). Still, I ate them, nothing wrong with them. But poutine was and remains brand new to me. Never had it or even saw it. From the comments read here about I was led to believe it was the Canadian version of grits, with cheese of some sort included and perhaps gravy?.

Well imagine my surprise when I googled both food items and discovered that these two thing have about as much in common as lutefisk (look it up) and corndogs! Frankly I don't understand the comparisons at all. How does one compare the value or taste of potatoes and cheese to cornmeal with some variations? So as this forum has been and remains (so far) one of the leading sources for my adult education, could somebody explain this comparison to me?

I don't want to start (or continue) a fight here, I'm just trying to understand how we got here. I stand, physically, in between the two geographical areas that have dogs in this fight and don't want to become collateral damage in the cross-fire. So let's keep it civil and culinary in nature so we don't get sent to the woodshed. ;D

[customsawyer]

The way I understand it it (Tom) is a love hate relationship. Most either love or hate Grits and the same can be said for poutine. I actually like them both but have been told I have a iron stomach. Also growing up dirt poor, to the point of joining the Army for a pair of boots. I was taught not to turn down to much food as it might be the last for a while.

[HemlockKing]

Poutine oh my god that's my favourite behind DONAIR(Atlantic Canada version of a gyro). Never having grits but knowing what they are I can't see how someone would ever choice them over poutine, no comparison on the delicious factor. Make sure the poutine is right though, McDonald's isn't a poutine. Real cheese kurds and the right gravy

[Magicman]

As Jake said above, we ate what was on the table and called it good.  Oftentimes grits & eggs were the only thing between us and hungry so there was never any complaining.  My Mom did well with doing with what she had to do with.  She had flour/cornmeal, buttermilk, and lard so there were always biscuits.  We had chickens so there were always eggs.  If she had nothing else she would boil cornmeal and call it mush.  Mush was certainly not a favorite, but it was eaten and also called good.

We lived 15 miles 'in the sticks' so Saturday afternoon usually meant the weekly trip to town.  If/when Poppa had to go to town for tractor parts, etc. he generally had a 'list' of items to get.

All that I know about poutine is what I have read here on the FF.

[beenthere]

Same story as MM, ate what was on the table and cleaned the plate..  had SPAM and liked it as well as mush (either cold or fried in the skillet). Had straight cream to pour over fresh fruit. Was life with parents that lived through the depression and had little extra through the 40's and 50's. 

Had poutine a few years back while travelling with son through Canada and stopped in Banff for a beer/lunch. Son noticed poutine on the menu and sounded good.. with cheese curds, turkey, gravy, french fries. Liked it a lot. Have ordered it elsewhere but while good, not the same recipe as the first time in Banff. May be dependent upon the gravy.

Eat grits when I can get them.. mainly think they are a good "filler" for a meal. Taste like what's put on the grits, just like zucchini squash.  

[Old Greenhorn]

I think Customsawyer might be on to something and answered the question right off. Again I wasn't asking which was better or which was 'correct'. I was asking how we came to compare those two things here.  Just seems like comparing sawmills and edgers, they both cut wood but do it in very different ways.

 So basically, we got to this point by comparing one regional favorite/popular local food item to another and 'discussing' the value to each culture, is that correct?

[HemlockKing]

Same story as MM, ate what was on the table and cleaned the plate..  had SPAM and liked it as well as mush (either cold or fried in the skillet). Had straight cream to pour over fresh fruit. Was life with parents that lived through the depression and had little extra through the 40's and 50's.

Had poutine a few years back while travelling with son through Canada and stopped in Banff for a beer/lunch. Son noticed poutine on the menu and sounded good.. with cheese curds, turkey, gravy, french fries. Liked it a lot. Have ordered it elsewhere but while good, not the same recipe as the first time in Banff. May be dependent upon the gravy.

Eat grits when I can get them.. mainly think they are a good "filler" for a meal. Taste like what's put on the grits, just like zucchini squash.  

BT, definitely gravy can make or break a good poutine. 

[sawguy21]

I have tried poutine, at least the western Canadian restaurant version, and didn't care for it although it is very popular with the kids. Maybe it was the packaged gravy and processed cheese but have no desire for more. I have never even seen let alone tried grits, I still chuckle at Tom's response when as a newbie I asked what they were. I do see polanta in the stores which I am told is very similar.

[Andries]

So Tom, only a couple of posts in, and you're getting the straight goods from the FF. 
Jake and Lynn call on their memories as kids growing up with parents that did whatever they could to feed the family. Grits seem to have that history as a food staple of honest hard working folks. And that sums up all that I know about grits, other than to say the best I've had were at CustomSawyers home. Avoid opinions formed at the highway food traps. 
HemlocKings reaction to the word 'poutine' is . . . "alllllriiiight. . POUTINE ! !" 
It's a super high calorie blend of French fries, gravy and cheese. Beenthere tasted the tourist version in Banff, but nothin' beats home cook in'.
It's sauced up fries, it has French Canadian origins and it will keep you logging in the winter til the light fails. 
The stop sign at the corner of my house has the word 'arette' on it, and many of my neighbours are Métis. This is St Boniface, a section of Winnipeg which is predominantly French and poutine is a regular served up at bbqs and parties. Our winters last as long as the summers up here, and the Festival du Voyageur is one of many events held to bouy up spirits during the winter dark. Here's a shot of one of my granddaughters munching bannock (flat bread) dressed up with treats.


 
The Métis people were the voyageurs in Canada, when travel was by canoe and went from coast to coast. Which explains how poutine is a fully coast-to-coast Canadian treat. 

[Old Greenhorn]

Sawguy mentioned polanta. Now I know this to be of Italian origin. Is this popular in Canada? Is it popular anywhere out side of Europe? Polanta is much like grits and made with the same or similar ingredients. Another food I have never seen nor tasted.

[Magicman]

Actually it is Polenta.  Here is one:  LINK

[Andries]

My wife's Baba (grandmother) used to describe polenta or "mamaliga"that she ate in Odessa. 
We've made it here in Winnipeg, but I remember it as crushed buckwheat rather than corn. 
Similar to grits but not the same. And nope, not easily found up here - send out a search party. 😉

[Hilltop366]

Lots of french (Acadian) around here but poutine was not a thing until around 25 years ago, it was a Quebec thing before that.

A popular variation here is lobster poutine.

There is a traditional Acadian dish called "poutine rapée" that is a potato dumpling with pork inside.

[SwampDonkey]

Tom, is there a 'New York Fries' fast food joint down there? It's on the menu. I've never taken a liking to poutine. I like just a little salt on fries, I can even do without ketchup. If it's a good tater in them fries, I want to taste it. :D

Also out west I learned of pierogi, I never saw such a critter back in New Brunswick. :D First time I saw them was in a lumber camp out in BC. Someone said pierogi for dinner, I said what are they? I was indoctrinated. That particular course was fried with onions. The only dumpling I grew up on was dough boys steamed on top of a stew. :D :D

Closest things to grits I ever ate was cream of wheat. Never had the kind with cheese that Maude served Archie when he was sick. :D

[Raider Bill]

Tom, is there a 'New York Fries' fast food joint down there? It's on the menu. I've never taken a liking to poutine. I like just a little salt on fries, I can even do without ketchup. If it's a good tater in them fries, I want to taste it. :D

Also out west I learned of pierogi, I never saw such a critter back in New Brunswick. :D First time I saw them was in a lumber camp out in BC. Someone said pierogi for dinner, I said what are they? I was indoctrinated. That particular course was fried with onions. The only dumpling I grew up on was dough boys steamed on top of a stew. :D :D

Closest things to grits I ever ate was cream of wheat. Never had the kind with cheese that Maude served Archie when he was sick. :D

We eat pierogis a couple times a month. Always fried with onions and butter. Sour cream on the side.

[sawguy21]

Cream of wheat >:( That is something I can definitely do without. There are a lot of people of eastern European descent in western Canada so their cuisine is well known and liked. A good borscht warms the soul. 

[Old Greenhorn]

Pierogis are Polish and since I met my wife, they have been a regular around here. In the last couple of years there is a new place about 10 miles down the line the makes ans sells them in many varieties and they are quite good. The ones from the food store are 'OK'. I like them with homemade apple sauce. I don't know why, except that my wife makes really good apple sauce.

Funny story. On Friday the boys were having lunch over at the local bar/restaurant we frequent (owner is a client of Bills). It's a pulled pork and barbeque place and they do pig roasts too. Anyway they texted me to join then. As I had just eaten lunch but was quitting for the day to get an early jump on my Christmas shopping and I had to pass the place anyway, I stopped in and had a beer while they ate.

 So we were talking with the barmaid as we always do and swapping banter, etc. We got on the subject of the 'weekender customers' who would be filling the place in another hour or two. Most are friendly enough, but you always get a few... Anyway she mentions this surly gal that was in for dinner the other day and asked if the  'fries and cheese with gravy' was actually poutine. So the waitress says well what does poutine have in it? "Fries and cheese and gravy" the snotty guest replies, "Don't you know that?" The waitress gives her the best "bless your heart' expression she can muster and says "well then, I guess you could call it poutine if you like, sounds the same to me". Now back in the conversation the barmaid says "you know, I have never met an impolite Canadian, let alone a surly one, but when I brought their food out I found out she's actually from New Jersey and never had poutine, so she wanted to try it before she went up there next month."  :D

 Andries, you are correct, polenta was originally made with any grain they could find and corn was not introduced into Europe until well after the new world was colonized. so the recipe has been altered over time and can include corn or wheat or other grains, I think the choice is regional. Like grits, it's kind of a 'use what you got' type of thing.

[WV Sawmiller]

Tom,

  I had a fairly lengthy reply but its either floating around in cyber space or something else ate it. I'll try again.

  I don't ever remember eating Poutine. I love French fries, cheese and gravy but they are just three items that don't strike me as belonging together. French fries need Ketchup. Gravy needs rice or mashed potatoes. Cheese needs to be grilled between 2 pieces of toast or lots of other applications but not French fries.

   I remember being served French fries buried under brown gravy on a project in Eastern Ohio. I did not care for it that way.

   We mostly grew up eating grits for breakfast. We ate them with a little salt, pepper and butter. They were a side dish complimenting eggs, bacon, sausage, ham and served with toast or biscuits. Scrambled eggs or over easy eggs were often mixed with the grits. Admittedly grits alone did not have a lot of flavor but they were a blank palette complimenting other foods.

  My mentor used to have his own grits ground and would sieve off the coarse vs fine grits as the coarse grits needed longer cooking time but IMHO had more of the good corn flavor. We ate them there for lunch or dinner as a side dish like you would use rice or potatoes and often served them with fish or game.

  I was nearly grown before I was at a fish fry further south in central Fla where grits were served with fish and swamp cabbage at big outdoor fish fries.  It was also about then I tried cheese grits which were also good when properly prepared.

  I have seen grits ground in Africa using a big river rock as a pestle and a flat rock to grind against or pounded into small pieces in a traditional wooden (log) mortar and pestle. I saw a big Himba lady wearing only a rawhide leather skirt grind them with a rock and cooking them in a small cast iron pot that looked like it would hold about 1 qt and cooked over a fire made from the corn cobs. They called it mealies there.

  I don't care if people don't like grits but I do resent the people who criticize them without even trying them.

[mike_belben]

I dunno about all this poutine jive but i know pinto beans and turnip greens and thats pretty good together with some cornbread or a biscuit. 

[Old Greenhorn]

I'll just have to take your word for that Mike. :D ;D

[Magicman]

The Poutine sounds interesting because I like brown gravy on French Fries, but I am not familiar with curds.

The next time that I am at a cheese 'factory' I'm gonna get some curds.  Surely they would be available.

[newoodguy78]

If you don't care for them send em north I'll finish them off  ;D

[WV Sawmiller]

I dunno about all this poutine jive but i know pinto beans and turnip greens and thats pretty good together with some cornbread or a biscuit.

Mike,

  I know I grew up in the turnip, mustard and collard capital of the world but I confess - I don't eat cooked greens. Never developed the taste for them. I like them raw and can eat a raw turnip root or peel and slice it and eat it with French Onion and sour cream potato chip dip or eat it the leave sin a salad and I even like Korean bulgogi where they wrap meat and rice and a whole clove of garlic in a turnip or spinach leaf like an egg roll or such.

  I never ate brown (Pinto) beans except in in chilli when we ran out of kidney beans. When we moved to WV I found they seem to be the State Dish and brown beans and cornbread are served as a meal all over the place including as a school lunch. If you walk in the produce section of any WV Wal Mart you will see brown beans in bulk with at least 200 lbs in the bin. We can't find dry green limas or speckled butterbeans but we can but brown beans by the 50 lb bag in many groceries.

Tom,

  Sorry. Not trying to change this thread (Mike started it. :D)

[HemlockKing]

The Poutine sounds interesting because I like brown gravy on French Fries, but I am not familiar with curds.

The next time that I am at a cheese 'factory' I'm gonna get some curds.  Surely they would be available.

You'll half to grade some cheese all over too so it creates a good melted cheese blanket lol  ;D

[HemlockKing]

I had no idea what a grit even was before I joined this forum. Grits were cigarettes to me